HD vs. DVD - Lord Of The Rings

Here are some supposed screen captures of The Lord Of The Rings captured in both High Definition and DVD. Mouse over each image for the High Definition version. Each screen is within one or two frames of each other, making for a good comparison.

Death To The Cubicle!

"Like many problems in the work arena, this one turns on numbers. The savings that accrue from jamming employees into cubes rather than offices, particularly in high-rent markets, can be huge. The productivity gains that come from giving workers a space where they can do uninterrupted, heads-down work -- those are harder to quantify."

Good article on those oh-so-wonderful boxes that some of us get to spend our work hours in.

Google Not Giving In To The Government

"Already on the defensive about its domestic spying program, the Bush administration has alarmed privacy and free-speech advocates by demanding search information from millions of users of Google and other Internet companies.

The moves raise questions about how far the government should be allowed to go to probe into American homes. The administration is pushing back hard, defending its surveillance as helping to protect the nation from terrorism and, to a lesser extent, shield minors from pornography."

Apparently the government wants internet search engines database information to crack down on child pornography. Uh. That sounds like a great idea until you realize how much information about you and your surfing habits that these internet search engine databases hold. Why not go after the websites that are hosting this crap instead of sifting through every American's search history?

Google is not giving up its information yet, stating that the government's request is ""unduly burdensome, vague and intended to harass."

I'm not sure what's more disturbing: The fact that MSN and Yahoo gave up their information in a heartbeat or the fact that the government is seeking this type of information. All of a sudden this news brings it to the attention of the general public which is now screaming "OMG, they store information about us?!!?!?" People that are upset about this need to pull their heads out of their collective asses. The internet isn't completely private and never will be - especially when you're talking about a free service. Those who think otherwise are complete morons, so stop your whining.

What's next? Will the government start demanding copies of your emails? Do you really think that just because you have the email in your inbox on your pc that a copy doesn't reside on the email server it came from? Laff. Go take a couple of reality pills and get back to me.

"See you next year!"

I'm going to deliver a roundhouse kick to someone's throat if I have to hear that again. What is it with people saying that? Do they think it's actually funny? That they're somehow witty using such a ridiculous statement? I'm sure it got a hearty laugh the first time you heard it, but never after that. Do people say it thinking the other person has never heard it before? If you are one of those people, here's a tip: Shut up. Just say Happy New Year and be done with it.



Happy New Year everybody!

Getting The Perfect Nap

"When billionaire adventurer Steve Fossett broke the record for around-the-world solo jet flight last March, he slept just 60 minutes in 67 hours of flight time -- 60 minutes broken into two- and three-minute naps. "I slept when I needed it and awoke refreshed," he says. Fossett, who holds world records in ballooning, sailing, and flying, adds that none of his feats could have been done without these micro-variety "power naps."

I've never been much of a napper because it seemed like more often than not, I would feel more sluggish than I did previously. From the information in the article and the following chart, I can see why - my naps were about half an hour, which they shouldn't be. I'm going to try shorter intervals when I feel I need some extra z's.

Almost forgot...

Wanted to wish my few readers a Merry Christmas and hoping for a great New Year for everyone!

*for those of you that get "offended" by me saying Merry Christmas, get over it. political correctness is a joke*

Santa IM worm hits AOL, MSN, and Yahoo

"A Santa Claus worm is attempting to trick America Online, Microsoft MSN and Yahoo instant-messaging users into clicking on a file that delivers unwanted software to a victim's computer.

The IM.GiftCom.All worm attempts to dupe IM users into thinking an acquaintance has sent them a link to a harmless Santa Claus file, according to a security advisory issued Tuesday by IMlogic."

I'm hoping most are smarter than this, but usually that's not the case. Please be very careful of what you receive and send in emails and Instant Messages. While we're on the subject of Security, double check to make sure that your anti-virus is up to date. How do you check? Right click on the application's icon in your taskbar and find where it says update. If, for some reason, you don't have anti-virus software or the one that came with your pc expired because you didn't want to pay the annual fee, you can download and install AVG Free Edition.

Game being developed for "sex ed"?

"The CanWest News Service has a piece up on Heather Kelley, an Ubisoft game designer who has created Lapis, a prototype of a Nintendo DS game that offers a "stealthy primer" on female sexuality.

At first glance, the game sort of looks like Nintendogs, but with a fluffy blue bunny. But as it turns out:

The prototype teaches how to reach orgasm by simulating the affect of pleasurable sensation on the cartoon. Players tickle, touch, tap, and stroke Lapis using the touch screen of the Nintendo DS, a hand-held video game device. They can also talk, sing and blow on the bunny's fur using the device's built-in microphone."

I doubt that this will make it through Nintendo, but is this the kind of crap we can expect our kids to get their hands on? Ridiculous.

Ebay CEO/President says 40,000 Xbox 360's sold

"As reported by Dow Jones last night based upon a presentation at the CSFB Annual Technology Conference, the 40,000 unit figure has left pundits flabbergasted. If launch supply estimates from American Technology Research are accurate, that would mean that 10% of all Xbox 360 consoles sold in the US were either sold or resold through eBay."



Might be a good idea to reserve several Sony PS3's once you're able to. Some of the Xbox 360's went for >$1000. Incredible.

Windows Live Safety Center

Windows Live Safety Center is up, in beta form, and looks to be a nice set of tools for the unsaavy computer user. Click on the link above to check it out. Here is the first review I've seen of Microsoft's new site.

Russian gymnasts going nuts

These kids are insane. A great look at some "off the wall" antics of these Russian gymnasts. One of the best google videos I've come across this year.

Bugmenot.com

Don't you just hate it when someone sends you a link to an article, but the link directs you to a site that requires a username and password? Ugh, the bane of the internet. But fear not, my thinly veiled friends. Simply copy the URL for the website in question, then go to BugMeNot.com, paste the URL into the box and BAM - it'll dish you a username and password. I've not run across a website yet that this hasn't come through for me. Don't ask me if it works on porn sites because I HAVE NO IDEA.

Firefox 1.5

Word on the "street" is that the latest version of Firefox will be released some time today. If you don't know what Firefox is, then I'll tell you. As I've mentioned in a previous post, Firefox is a faster and, most importantly, a more secure browser. If you're NOT using Firefox, then I am going to assume you are using Internet Explorer or Opera. If you use Opera, you're ok in my book. If you're an IE user, kick yourself in the face, recover, and go download the greatest browser to hit the internet. (Those that are on Macs are ok with Safari, and those that are Linux nerds haven't bothered reading this article)

*UPDATE* It's out today folks. Click on the links above.

Mac OSX Tiger free tutorials

Some really nice tutorials for the noob and also for people that are interested in getting a Mac. Covers the Dashboard and Widgets, using Spotlight, and some other goodies.

Why $5 Gas Is Good For America

"At the climax of his book Twilight in the Desert, Houston investment banker and energy guru Matthew Simmons describes a visit to the world's most powerful oil company, Saudi Aramco, in Dhahran. Simmons listens in horror as a senior manager reveals the kingdom's darkest secret. The old ways no longer suffice. To keep their aging wells productive, the Saudis now rely upon one information age prop after another: advanced analysis of rock cores, 3-D seismic imagery, software for diagnosing underground oil flows - all integrated using something called fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic? The Aramco man tries to explain the science of complex systems and partial information, but Simmons hears only tidings of a bleak future. Obviously, the end of energy as we know it is nigh."

A great read and could possibly be an eye-opener for some of you behemoth SUV drivers.

20 years of Microsoft Windows

Ah, 20 years of the operating system we love to hate. Love - because it does alot of things well (and it plays a big part in how I make my living), and Hate - because of the proprietary nature of the software and the security issues that crop up now and again.

I'll leave you with your balloons and party hats with these photos of the one, the only, Bill Gates (he's so dreamy!!!11)

CD's containing Sony's rootkit - Complete List

Please check this list against your CD collection.

2005's "10 Worst Toys" List

"W.A.T.C.H.'s annual "10 Worst Toys" list nominates representative toys with the potential to cause childhood injuries, or even death. W.A.T.C.H.'s annual "Toy Conference" has generated extensive national press and media coverage. Because of these efforts, and the positive response from both the media and the public, there have been many toy and product design changes. Founder Edward M. Swartz and W.A.T.C.H. have fearlessly exposed potentially dangerous toys to the general public. As a result, children’s lives have been saved."

First of all, if you bought something like this for your kid, you shouldn't have kids to begin with. Secondly, The manufacturer recommends knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and a helmet. Just look at that kid in the picture. Safety first, kids!

Yes folks, it's true. There's nothing wrong with buying your 5 year old a crossbow that shoots "soft tip arrows" up to thirty feet. "Hey mom, it even has 3 power settings!!"

*recommended for families that still hunt for their food*

Ok, let me stop laughing first. This manufacturer even encourages children to engage in "clobberin' time!" They look like the ass ends of a Tiki god if you ask me.

$100 Laptop!? (continued)

Last month I covered MIT's brave endeavour. Now, it seems like the ball is really rolling.

"Although no contracts with governments have been signed, Mr. Negroponte (founder of MIT's Media Labs) says current plans call for producing five to ten million units beginning in late 2006 or early 2007, with tens of millions more a year later. Five companies -- Google Inc., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Red Hat Inc., News Corp. and Brightstar Corp. -- have each provided $2 million to fund a nonprofit organization called One Laptop Per Child that was set up to oversee the project. Mr. Negroponte says five companies are bidding to make the laptop, although he declined to name them."

MIT even turned down Steve Job's offer of giving each laptop OSX, saying "We declined because it's not Open Source". Well done.

Consumer : 1, Sony BMG : 0

"Sony is to suspend production of CDs using its controversial content protection technology, currently being exploited by a Trojan virus.

The technology employed by Sony to protect its music from illegitimate use was picked up by security software as a rootkit which hid files from Windows and made them impossible to detect. But simply using letters '$sys$' in a filename means that any such file will be hidden, even malicious files. And this is exactly what has happened with the latest virus."

Well, this is a nice change of events. Hopefully Sony BMG will let go of First4Internet and try a different approach.